2008 Pontiac G6

Review

For those not in the know, GXP is Pontiac's performance brand. It's a fairly

new creation that will be celebrating its fifth birthday shortly. Its first car was a rarity, the Bonneville GXP. Admittedly, that wasn't the greatest way to kick things off. It was essentially the twin to the Oldsmobile Aurora, and packed its 4.6-liter Northstar V8. The 275 horsepower that it developed was ushered through the front wheels, which meant plenty of torque steer. Since then, a number of other Pontiacs have received the GXP treatment. The second vehicle launched under this go-fast name was the Grand Prix GXP; it used the Bonneville's recipe, but offered more kick – 303 horsepower from a small-block 5.3-liter V8. Pontiac also whipped the comfortable and practical Torrent into shape with performance tuned suspension and steering (plus GM's very pleasing 3.6-liter V6), and of who can forget the Solstice GXP, which boasts the General's most advanced engine and a 0-60 time that's faster than a Boxster. So, the logical next step is to find out what Pontiac did to the G6 to make it worthy of the GXP name.

If looks are taken into account, speedy performance is probably a first assumption. With the GXP, the famous Pontiac nostrils have been enlarged,

stretched down presumably to enhance breathing, and there's plenty of chromed mesh. From other angles, the GXP's expression of its sportiness is less macho. The tailpipes are larger than standard, but they're quite tasteful, and I have to say despite it being clearly fake, I think its rear diffuser looks cool. For those that find the GXP a little on the tame side, a Street Enhancement Package can be ordered which includes a hood with scoops the likes of which haven't been seen since the days of the Trans Am Ram Air WS6. In addition, there's a large and rather conspicuous “hammerhead” rear spoiler. But what makes the GXP stand out are its mechanical changes.

When it was launched, the most potent G6 sedan at the time was the GTP. GM developed a new 3.9-liter pushrod V6 that generated 240 horsepower. Despite sounding somewhat archaic in a world of direct injection and quad camshafts, the 3.9 featured a cam-in-block design that allowed it to bear the title of world's first pushrod engine with variable valve

timing. This engine was superseded by GM's now ubiquitous 3.6-liter V6, with VVT that is featured in the Torrent GXP and the new Malibu. Though it doesn't have as much torque right off the line, the new engine is smoother, quieter and more tractable - a slick engine for a slick sedan.

Attached to this 21st century engine is a 21st century transmission. Gone is the four-speed automatic, which was paired with the old GTP's 3.9; instead, you get a six-speed automatic with manual shift control. It's a good match for the engine in terms of smoothness and shift speeds, thanks to closer spaced ratios, and is one of the reasons why the GXP feels so much quicker out in the real world

There are two unfortunate downsides to the application of the gearbox, neither of which actually has to do with the gearbox itself, or its operation. Firstly, you can't get paddles, or any types of steering wheel mounted controls for the manual mode. You can in the Malibu, the Aura, and you could in the Grand Prix (remember TAPShift from the “Wide Track” advertisement days?), but not here. Why this is the case I'm not sure,

especially since the G6 is the sportiest member of GM's midsize family. Secondly, for the shift-it-yourself types, the demise of the 3.9 on Coupe and Sedan offerings means the G6 is no longer offered with any manual transmission.

But to the enthusiast, the G6 GXP is the better car. On the road it yields more grip from its 18-inch tires, its turn in is quicker, and it feels sharper. Part of this has to do with the specific tuning that the suspension has received. I'd also swear that the GXP's steering offers more on-center feel and crisper steering action. Whatever the tweaks are, they've worked. Call it a victory for the driver, if you will. Note though, that this is a high-power front wheel drive car, and while there's less of it than I expected, it still torque steers.

And though it may look like a bit of a boy racer from the outside, you don't get this impression from the treatment of the interior. The GXP acts as the range topper, so it comes with all the luxuries and toys that

would otherwise be an option on other G6 models. The comfortable and supportive buckets are trimmed in perforated leather with two-toned inserts, are heated and offer six-way power adjustment (the seatbacks are adjusted manually). Digital climate control is standard (single zone, not double, as per the usual GM standard), as is a trip computer. You need to pay extra for a sunroof, but unfortunately it's not the signature multi-paned panoramic roof which vanished off the options list a couple of years back. The only other noteworthy option is an upgraded stereo system which bumps the CD player's storage capacity from one to six discs; a complimentary subscription to XM for three month is also included.

Additionally, General Motors has been generous with safety equipment on the GXP. Front, side and curtain airbags are included as standard, so is StabiliTrak and OnStar. It also got the thumbs up from the IIHS, which rated the G6 “Good” for overall crash protection.

The GXP shows that Pontiac is capable of putting on its game face, the result of which is a slick driving sports sedan. My only concern has to do with pricing. You see, as good as the G6 is to drive, it faces some really stiff internal competition from the new Chevrolet. The Malibu LTZ comes with the same engine, gearbox and rides on an updated version of GM's global Epsilon midsize chassis architecture, plus, to get completely personal, offers a more appealing exterior and interior package.  Furthermore, a well-equipped G6 GXP is knocking on the door of some arguably more appealing Japanese and European premium players, like Acura's TSX and Volvo's S40.

That said, out of all the different G6 models that Pontiac has put out over the years, the G6 GXP is by far the best, and if anything it shows the potential that that this popular sedan had all along.